penchant French · revision 16119

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1532, Coutumier général|origins=la pendeō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''penchant''' ''m'' (plural penchants)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[pencher]] “to lean”, used as an adjective and as a noun.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(DHLF 1992) ''Pencher'' comes from [[la-vul|*pendicō]], derived from [[la|pendeō|t=to hang]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adjective is first recorded in 1532 in the ''Coutumier général'', in ''mur penchant'' “leaning wall”.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) As a noun it first meant, in Robert Estienne's dictionary of 1538, the slope of a hill or mountain.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The concrete sense “slope, declivity” (1658) is now dated or literary, as in ''sur le penchant de la montagne''.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) The figurative sense, a natural inclination towards an object or an end, dates from the 1640s (1647 according to Rey, 1642 according to the Petit Robert and Bloch and Wartburg), and in the realm of feelings it came to mean a liking or love for someone (1673, Racine).^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) A classical sense, the decline of what can decrease (''être sur son penchant''), died out with the corresponding sense of the verb.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) The adjective, “leaning” and figuratively “declining”, as in Corneille's ''état penchant'', is now dated or literary.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi)

+

+ English took [[m|en|penchant]] “strong inclination” in the 1670s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1532 – ''Mur penchant'' “leaning wall” in the ''Coutumier général''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1538 – The noun is recorded for the slope of a hill.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1640 – Corneille uses the adjective for a tottering state.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1642–47 – The noun takes the sense “natural inclination”.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1673 – Racine uses it for a tender feeling for someone.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A natural [[m|en|inclination]] or [[m|en|tendency]]: ''un penchant à la paresse'', ''pour l'alcool'';^(Petit Robert 2007) ''mauvais penchants'', vices.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(literary)'' A [[m|en|liking]] or affection for someone: ''avoir un penchant pour qqn''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(dated or literary)'' The [[m|en|slope]] of a hill or mountain.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(dated or literary)'' Leaning, sloping.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(figurative, literary)'' [[m|en|decline|alt=Declining]], on the wane.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pencher]]

+ * [[penché]]

+ * [[pendre]]

+ * [[la|pendeo]]

+ * [[en|penchant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}